3. THE INVITATION
The mother kept her promise, and they tasted a delicious barbecue of fish in one of the restaurants on the beach. Nina seemed to enjoy that special dish and relaxed her sullen attitude.
"Do you have to eat a fish barbecue to be nice to your mother? Expensive, your affection will come out! I don't know about you, but I'm dying for a bed. A good nap will do us good! Isn't it wonderful to be able to be on vacation, not to think about anything and sleep as long as we want?"
"Sure, mom!"
The humid heat of that morning had caused the formation of dark clouds that threatened the storm. Despite the light of the day, the glow of lightning could already be seen on the horizon, not far from there. Nina's mother suggested that they would not drink coffee to return to the apartment as soon as possible and avoid the rain, which would soon fall. When they were walking back along the beach, they met Nano, who was attending clients.
"Hello, Nano," Nina greeted him, looking kinder than in the morning. "I still haven't thanked you for this morning. If I had been in danger, you would have saved me from drowning. You are very brave!"
"Thank you, Nina, but I'm glad you weren't in danger, even if it cost me a good soaking and a fight from my boss."
Nina's mother took the opportunity for her daughter to be kind to the young man, befriend, and cope better with that vacation.
"Nano, why don't you have dinner with us tonight? We will order some pizzas, and we will eat them quietly on the terrace. Agree?"
"I will be delighted, but it will have to be late because I finish my work late."
"We'll wait for you, right, Nina?"
Nina knew her mother's intention: no doubt she wanted him to find someone to amuse herself with when she was with her lover, so she disagreed with her mother.
"I don't know, but I don't want to go to bed too late; maybe another day, when Nano has the day off."
"I don't have any day off," interrupted. "I work every day of the week, only for two months. But don't worry, I appreciate the detail, which is what is important. Nina must be tired ..."
"Yes, I am tired; well, goodbye Nano. We have to hurry because it is about to rain. A good storm is brewing!"
Nina urged her mother to get to the apartment as soon as possible, but it was not for fear of the rain, but fear that she would do her will look for someone to entertain her.
"Daughter, you are incorrigible! You do not have a heart? How can you treat this boy like this? You cannot be tired."
"Mom, don't insist on finding me someone to entertain me while you sleep with your lover. I prefer to be alone! What could we talk about ?: «Thank you for distracting me while my mother sleeps with his boss. No, she is a good mother, only that she is very liberal and does not find it strange to sleep with a married man during her holidays ».
The mother reacted aggressively.
"Nina, you are wearing out my patience! I think you're determined to ruin this vacation for me!"
"Give me the money for the trip, and I'm leaving right now with my grandparents!"
"When you come of age, you can do what you think is best, but until then, you will have to be by my side. I may not be an exemplary mother, but at least I have set out to give you the means to complete your education. Then you can fend for yourself and do what seems good to you. I only ask that we make our relationship bearable until that day comes. I am not asking much!"
The two women remained silent until they reached their apartment without being unloaded by the threatening storm. Strong inland winds dispelled the dark clouds. Nina's mother retired to her bedroom, and Nina preferred to lie on a hammock on the terrace and stare in fascination at the new, electrically charged clouds that replace those blown away by the strong wind.
Nina recalled her first encounter with Nano and the impression the sea green of her eyes made on her, and she recognized that her mother was right: she had been very rude to him. He felt the need to apologize as soon as possible. She jumped onto the beach from the terrace and headed to Nano's bar to apologize and advise him to accept her mother's invitation to dine together when he was free from work.
A sudden torrential rain interrupted her path, and he took refuge under the porch of a piano-bar located under the restaurant terrace. The place was a large room decorated with fishing gear. Half of the hull of a boat served as a bar, and on the walls hung numerous postcards, sent from their respective places of residence, by vacationers who had been there. The postcards hung pictures of smiling people and groups, photographed in the same bar, which they had left as a memory of their vacation in that place. There was a small stage in the back of the room, where every night a spontaneous singer or musician who summered in the town acted, the rest were chairs and tables for those attending those performances. The venue had no windows and was plunged in a gloom that gave relief to the stage, illuminated with one of the few electric light bulbs in the room.
When the roar of the pouring rain stopped, a guitar's sound was heard from inside the premises, playing improvisations of great harmony and musical beauty.
"I am dreaming, or someone is playing classical music on a guitar!"
Nina entered the bar where the music came from, and, to her amazement, the guitarist was Nano, who, sitting on a stool on the small stage, was playing a brief recital to the clients of the venue. Nano saw her enter and gave her a smile in greeting. Nina returned the greeting with another smile and a slight movement of greeting with the hand and remained motionless as if Nano's music had enchanted her until his performance ended.
Nano combined his work as a waiter and responsible for the hammocks, with brief performances with the guitar in that piano-bar, and at night, at the end of his work on the beach, he accompanied the spontaneous singers. When Nano finished her brief concert, Nina approached the stage with a poorly disguised expression of amazement.
"Nano, you play the guitar very well!"
"Not as well as my wish would be, but I study at the Conservatory to be a good guitarist ..."
"Do you study music?" Nano affirmed with a slight nod and accompanied him with a harmonious chord.
"I also study music, and I also play the guitar, although not as well as you, I want to be a great singer-songwriter!
"Nina and Nano! Wouldn't that be a good name for a duo? Maybe if you didn't go to bed early, you could come tonight to listen to the spontaneous singers. They are lousy, but fun. But if you dare, you could also sing a song; this auditorium is not very demanding. Afterward, we could have dinner together with the pizzas your mother had mentioned."
Nina felt trapped, but the favorable impression and surprise that the discovery of Nano's vocation had caused her won, and she accepted the invitation.
"Okay, Nano, here I will be!"
When Nina returned to the apartment and discussed her amazing discovery with her mother and what she had agreed with Nano, she could not hide her satisfaction at her daughter's mood change. Her encounter with Nano had been providential. She believed that Nina could have her first love affair, which would make her more understanding and tolerant.
"Who would have told us that the boy on the deckchairs was an excellent musician! Are you glad you came now?"
Nina had to admit that this unexpected discovery had made her forget for a few moments her purpose to maintain her negative opinion about her mother's behavior. Now she was thinking about Nano's proposal to sing a song in that amateur bar, and she felt inspired to compose the song herself that she could perform, and in the time she had until she returned to the bar.
"Yes, mom, but that doesn't mean I approve of your behavior.
"I've already resigned myself, but at least I hope we get along better. It's only for two weeks. Will you be able to do it?"
Nina did not want the tense relationships with her mother to nullify her inspiration, and she yielded to her wishes.
"Okay, mom, I'll try."
When they got to the apartment, Nina took out her guitar and went out onto the terrace. She pulled out a sheet of lined paper from a folder and wrote her impromptu song's first notes.
"Nina, aren't you going to take a nap?" Commented the mother, surprised by the new behavior of her daughter.
"No, mom, I want to compose a song to play tonight at Nano's bar."
"Sounds like a wonderful idea to me, Nina. I leave you alone, so you don't lose inspiration."
"Thanks, mom."
When she was alone, she thought she needed a letter to compose the melody later. She recalled the color of Nano's eyes and its resemblance to the color of the sea and wrote without knowing where some swollen verses came from on the back of the score:
When she wrote the last verse, she did not know where they had come from. But she didn't understand why one was so tragic. Because it had nothing to do with her mood at those inspired moments.
She later composed the melody and marveled at herself for making it so easy to compose that short but passionate song. He sang it several times to memorize the lyrics, and when her mother woke up from her nap, the song was already finished.
The mother had heard the last time Nina sang it and was amazed at her daughter's transformation. Judging by the lyrics, it was evident that she had fallen in love with Nano but did not want to violate her and did not comment on this possibility.
"It's a nice song, Nina, did you write it?"
"Sure, there is nobody else here, who could have composed it?"
"Well, my congratulations because it is a beautiful song. It will be very successful tonight at Nano's bar."
As the time for her performance approached, Nina felt more nervous and insecure. She had never sung before such a varied audience, and that was also the first time that.
She sang with one of her compositions.
"Mom, I'm going to take a walk alone on the beach, I want to get nervous tonight."
"Okay, I understand. I will take the opportunity to go shopping for dinner."
When she was on the beach, Nina headed toward the cliffs. A group of young people played a game of ball-bowling, on the edge of the beach, in an area reserved for sports. In bowling, the ball went to her feet. One of the young men came looking for it. When he was close to her, Nina recognized in amazement that he was a partner in her music academy.
"Nina, what a surprise! Do you also vacation here?"
"Yes, Marc, I spent two weeks with my mother. What an incredible coincidence! Have you come with your parents."
"What a remedy, I have no means to spend the summer on my own!"
"Why don't you come to the piano-bar below the restaurant tonight? I'm going to sing a song that I wrote today!"
"Take it for granted, I'll be there. And you, why don't you join our group? Here there are not many things to entertain, it is a place for old people, and we have to find a way to have fun. Tomorrow Carmen, a girl from our gang, throws a farewell party at her parents' chalet. Why don't you come too?"
"Thanks, Marc, we'll talk about it tonight at the bar."
"Ok, see you there!"
Nina continued her walk while the group of young people replayed the game. Upon reaching the limits of the beach, she sank on the sand.
The twilight sun edged the horizon on the interior slopes' side, and the shadows of the summer houses lengthened, leaving the beach in shadow. The vacationers left the hammocks with slow and lazy movements and went slowly to their respective residences. Some dogs abandoned by vacationers prowled around the restaurants or sat on their hindquarters and waited patiently for someone to throw some food at them.
Nina returned without haste, walking slowly because she did not want to meet her mother again. When she told her that she had met a classmate from her academy and that he was with his parents, it would be inevitable that they would find themselves in such a small place. Marc could introduce his parents to any of his friends, but Nina had to hide them from her mother because she was ashamed of her immoral behavior.
She was still halfway there when she met Nano, who looked excited and was looking for her.
"Finally, I found you!"
"Is something wrong, Nano?"
"Of course, something is wrong! Tonight we have an exceptional listener: the managing director of a major record label, who has just arrived at his summer house on the hillside and has confirmed that he will come to the bar tonight. I don't know what you want to sing, but whatever it is, we have to rehearse it!"
Nina felt like she was taking on a responsibility she wasn't ready for. She was just pretending to have fun doing what she liked best, and now it seemed as if her dreams of the future were at stake.
"I've composed a little song for tonight. Maybe you like it."
"Can I hear it?"
"Let's go to my apartment, and I'll sing it to you."
When they arrived at the apartment, they met the mother carrying two large bags from the local supermarket, with everything necessary for dinner and the following days.
"A robbery! Everything here is costly! If I come back another year, I will bring provisions for all the holidays! Nano, shouldn't you be at your job? Something happens?"
"I hope my boss doesn't miss me. He is a tyrant, but I had to meet Nina. But let's not waste time. Show me the score for that song."
Nina showed him the sheets of ruled paper where she had written the melody, and where the lyrics were also written in part corresponding to the melody. Nano hummed it as he read it, and his expression grew more enthusiastic as he progressed. When he finished it, he remained thoughtful for a few moments and, suddenly, he turned to Nina and exclaimed without concealing his amazement:
"Nina, it is magnificent! Sing it!"
Nina was flattered, but at the same time, she felt a certain blush from singing her song to the person who had inspired her, but she agreed.
When she finished, Nano asked her a question that for her had no answer.
"Nina, who were you thinking of when you wrote the lyrics for this song? Start happily, but talk about a tragedy! Why?"
"I don't know, it turned out like that."
"Well, let's leave that now. Take your guitar. I take this score with me to make arrangements for a second guitar. Your performance has to be perfect."
Nina and her mother arrived at Nano's bar when no customer had come yet. Nano was rehearsing the arrangements he had written for a second guitar. They both greeted each other with a slight gesture. Nina left her guitar on stage; she sat next to her mother in the chairs closest to the stage and concentrated on Nano's arrangements.
He had not finished playing them when Marc, his partner from the academy, and the group of teenagers who formed the gang, entered the piano-bar. Everyone warmly greeted Nina, wishing her success in her performance. Moments later, Marc's parents entered, accompanied by the parents of other teenagers. Marc's mother knew Nina's, having repeatedly met at the academy's gates, waiting for her children.
"What a curious coincidence!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Truly, the world is a scarf! Do you also vacation here?"
"Unfortunately, no. We've only been here for two weeks," she replied, making an effort to be polite."
"Too bad they can't stay long because it's a wonderful place! We come every year because we have a little house on the hillside. But my husband only spends a month with us because he has to attend to his business. And yours, is he with you, or is he also a slave to work?"
Nina's mother felt uncomfortable and violent because she did not expect to meet someone she knew in this small town, located in a remote part of the country. That's why she had chosen her! She tried to find an evasive answer, so as not to discover her divorce.
"All are equal!"
"Her daughter Nina is charming and a great artist. Marc always talks about her as one of the promises of the music academy. We wouldn't miss her performance for anything in the world!"
Nina was surrounded by Marc's friends, but she had watched her mother converse with hers and was uneasy about what they might be talking about.
Little by little, the place was filled with the public. Nano had written in large characters on a blackboard hanging at the entrance to the premises the extraordinary performance of the new duo, "Nina and Nano," which had raised more expectations than usual.
Marc's parents sat at the same table as Nina's mother, next to the stage, and continued recounting the wonders of the town where they had their summer residence.
"You can still find a place to sunbathe on the beach here. There are summer resorts in this country where it is already necessary to reserve a space on the beach one year in advance."
Nina's mother smiled at the occurrence but was not in the mood to follow the conversation, so she remained silent.
Nano was awaiting the director of the record label's entrance because he probably would not stay long in the premises. He had reserved one of the tables by the stage for him. He checked that the PA was the correct volume, and when he thought everything was in order, he joined Marc's group of friends.
The bar was already crowded, and some remained at the door due to the impossibility of entering the interior.
While they waited for the visit of the executive of the record one, Nano entertained the gathered with improvisations of classical music, which was to the liking of that audience. Finally, half an hour later, the exceptional guest arrived accompanied by a young woman, who must have been her daughter. Nano seated them at the table reserved for them and advised Nina, who was still with the teenagers, to prepare for her performance.
"Goodnight, everyone!" Nano greeted, introducing Nina with the professionalism of a ringmaster. "Tonight we are going to present a new duo that has been formed in this same place, between a singer and songwriter, Nina and me; Nina has composed a romantic song for her presentation this afternoon, which I am sure you will like. Applause to her."
Nina climbed onto the small stage and was applauded with trepidation and nervousness, and from the expression on her face, it was clear she was overwhelmed. Nano gave her an affectionate look, which was intended to encourage her, and started the initial chords he had written to accompany her. At the right moment, Nina sang her song.
"I have dreamed that your arms embraced me, as a storm embraces a boat.
That your lips kissed me, as the full moon kisses the sea.
That your smile captivated me, as the northern lights captivate.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
your caresses like the waves that come and go.
I dreamed that you sank into the sea and made me cry.
That you had vanished, as the seawater evaporates.
That we were two strangers, like the mountains and the sea.
That I only had this song, where before I had a heart.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
your caresses like the waves that come and go.»
I dreamed that the sea returned you, and you made me remember.
That we loved each other yesterday, as the sea loves the rain.
That we meet today, so as not to separate ourselves again.
That I had a heart again, where before I only had a song.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
Your caresses like the waves that come and go."
When the song ended, there was a dramatic silence among the audience, overwhelmed by their song's tragic beauty. When they reacted, they burst into loud, warm applause. Nina was overwhelmed by that show of admiration for her song. Nano, who had made some brilliant arrangements, took Nina by the hand, and they both appreciated the endless applause with displays of humility.
"Thank you; you are a magnificent audience,"
Nano said to the audience, visibly excited. "But Nina deserves your applause! It is a beautiful song!"
The record label executive seemed to be taking notes on her cell phone's agenda. Nina's mother was overwhelmed by her daughter's undoubted success. Only Nano didn't seem surprised, because he was certainly convinced of that success.
The record label executive put away his cell phone and motioned for Nano to come over.
"At the end of this week, come to my house on the hillside, and we will talk about your future," he said without showing the least emotion. "We need someone to get teenagers excited… " and he left the premises, followed by his young companion.
Nina was incapable of assuming the extraordinary reception of her song. She seemed to be absent, already living in another dimension: that of fame! Marc's teenage friends surrounded her and overwhelmed her with praise. Nano believed that he must rescue her from her first and enthusiastic admirers, and reminded the mother of the plan to the diner the pizzas on the terrace and rid Nina of that overwhelming atmosphere of triumph, for which she was not prepared.
"I feel responsible for Nina's confusion. Unexpected success can be destructive, " he said to the mother. "I am not looking for success, I just aspire to be a good musician, not a good idol, and I think Nina should adopt this same philosophy, or success will destroy her."
The mother fully agreed with Nano.
"Let's hope she still remembers!" she answered. "I think from now on, Nina will be another different girl."
They called Nina to remind her that they had planned to have dinner right after her performance, but Nina didn't seem enthusiastic about the idea and preferred to go anywhere but with the group of her new friends and admirers.
"Mom, I don't feel like locking myself in our apartment now. I think I will go with these friends to celebrate!"
"To celebrate what, Nina?" Nano asked her.
"Are you asking me that? My success!"
"I thought it was our success!"
"Well, yes, our success, what difference does it make! Why don't you come with us too?"
"Have you forgotten that I'm the boy on the deckchairs? When we met, it was six-thirty in the morning, the time my work began. I have to get up early; I can't accompany you!"
"Understand me, I'm on vacation!"
"Yes, I had almost forgotten. So have fun, Nina. You deserve it!"
The mother thought that finally, Nina was behaving most favorably for her plans. The town was quiet and at no risk. She could return whenever she wanted, and the later she returned, the more time she could spend with her lover. She felt sorry for Nano, but her daughter had shown a very fickle character. Perhaps it would be better if that friendship did not prosper.
Nina and the gang of new friends left the bar and headed for the beach area that bordered the cliffs, in the same place where she had met them, which was deserted at that time of night. The beach remained in darkness, and they could only see each other by the illumination of a pale and misty moon, surrounded by a diffuse ring of water vapor. Someone had brought several bottles of soda, and others of gin and drinks were prepared for everyone. They turned on portable musical equipment creating a festive atmosphere in which the adolescents felt identified.
When everyone had their drinks, Marc proposed a toast:
"Toast. Let's, Nina, because tonight another star has been born in the sky."
"By Nina, our star!" the teenagers chanted.
Half an hour later, they were all under the influence of alcohol, and one suggested taking a bath because the night was hot and muggy because of the past storm. There was total unanimity. They undressed and threw themselves into the water doing all kinds of funny tricks.
Nina imitated them and held Marc's hand; they jumped into the water, participating in the other teenagers' games. When they got tired, they went back to the beach and lay exhausted on the sand. Marc stretched out next to Nina. A cool, damp breeze dried their naked bodies. Marc took the unsuspecting Nina's hand, leaned over it, and kissed her on the lips. Nina, still under the influence of alcohol, did not react and felt Marc's kiss run through her entire body with a shiver of pleasure. Marc caressed her breasts and again felt an intense pleasure that left him unable to react and avoid his caresses. Moments later, they were having sex without Nina having the willpower to refuse. Then they fell asleep, just like the rest of the teenagers.
The cool morning light woke her up, and Nina felt an intense headache. When she tried to straighten up, she realized that Marc was surrounding her with one of his arms and understood what had happened. A sudden feeling of guilt tightened in her chest. She got rid of Marc's hug and looked for her clothes that had been scattered on the beach. She dressed hastily and without saying goodbye to the teenagers, started back to her apartment, unable to contain bitter tears over what had happened. Now she could no longer censure her mother as immoral because she had behaved the same way.
"At least she gets some profit, while I've been a fool, I've done it for nothing, and I'm not even in love with Marc," she thought bitterly. She wiped away her tears and tried to calm herself before she could meet her mother.
That dawn reminded her of the first one she had seen only twenty"four hours ago, and it seemed as if a year had passed. At least she felt much older and depressed. When she was about to enter the apartment, Nano surprised her who, like every morning, assembled and deployed the hammocks on the beach. Nina tried to avoid him, but Nano had already seen her and went towards her.
"Good night. How has the celebration been? It must have been a lot of fun when you arrive at this time of the morning!"
That unexpected encounter with Nano made her feel even more guilty, but she was in no mood to continue the conversation, and she replied angrily:
"Leave me alone! I'm exhausted, and I don't feel like joking!"
"Okay, miss, bad temper! You better sleep, because you look horrible. Have you been all night doing races?"
Nina thought Nano had guessed from her appearance that she had made love with one teenager, but he could not know, and she did not care if he imagined it. "I do not have to give an account of my actions, and less to someone who has only known him for twenty-four hours!" She didn't want to accept that she had betrayed him, which would make her feel even more guilty.
She entered her apartment without saying goodbye to Nano. Once inside, she went to her room with great stealth, to avoid waking her mother, but she saw the light in her bedroom, and he supposed that she was already awake waiting for her. The door opened abruptly, and the mother appeared with a worried expression on her face and deep dark circles as if she had spent the night in white.
"Nina, where have you been all night? I would look for you! You have had me anxious!"
Nina must reflect her guilt in her expression because her mother was alarmed.
"Child, it does not seem that you come from a party, but from a funeral. What's wrong?"
"Nothing happens to me, and if you don't mind, I will sleep, I'm exhausted, that's all!"
Her mother did not insist, and Nina locked herself in her bedroom. When she found herself alone in the room in the dark, the image of what had happened during the night returned to her mind. She had despised Nano, whom only a few hours ago she believed to be in love with, and who had been inspired by his song and had made love with Marc, a classmate without talent and with no attraction, for whom he barely felt a superficial friendship. What had made her behave in such a disloyal and thoughtless way? Had she inherited her immorality from her mother, which she had so censored? It had all been like a dream followed by a nightmare, and it had happened so fast and in such a scant space of time, that until that bitter moment, she had not been fully aware of what had happened.
First Nano's invitation, then the quick and inspired composition of her song, than the clamorous success at the piano-bar, later the beach party, and finally, something was certain to her had happened, but that she didn't. Could you remember? It had all happened too quickly; too intense; She thought it couldn't have happened. Finally, she came to an unfortunate conclusion: "None of this would have happened to me if I had never written that damn song. No doubt. The culprit is Nano! "
Now that she had found a culprit, she thought she felt excused, and now she could sleep soundly. She had barely closed her eyes when she heard two light knocks on her door.
"Nina, can I come in?"
"Sure, but what do you want? I'm sleepy, I don't feel like talking. Whatever you tell me when I wake up."
"Nina, this afternoon, my boss will arrive. I'm not asking you to become friends, but at least try to treat him with respect, he is the one who pays my payroll every month, so we can both live with dignity."
"Okay, mom, I will try, but please let me sleep!"
"Do you have to eat a fish barbecue to be nice to your mother? Expensive, your affection will come out! I don't know about you, but I'm dying for a bed. A good nap will do us good! Isn't it wonderful to be able to be on vacation, not to think about anything and sleep as long as we want?"
"Sure, mom!"
The humid heat of that morning had caused the formation of dark clouds that threatened the storm. Despite the light of the day, the glow of lightning could already be seen on the horizon, not far from there. Nina's mother suggested that they would not drink coffee to return to the apartment as soon as possible and avoid the rain, which would soon fall. When they were walking back along the beach, they met Nano, who was attending clients.
"Hello, Nano," Nina greeted him, looking kinder than in the morning. "I still haven't thanked you for this morning. If I had been in danger, you would have saved me from drowning. You are very brave!"
"Thank you, Nina, but I'm glad you weren't in danger, even if it cost me a good soaking and a fight from my boss."
Nina's mother took the opportunity for her daughter to be kind to the young man, befriend, and cope better with that vacation.
"Nano, why don't you have dinner with us tonight? We will order some pizzas, and we will eat them quietly on the terrace. Agree?"
"I will be delighted, but it will have to be late because I finish my work late."
"We'll wait for you, right, Nina?"
Nina knew her mother's intention: no doubt she wanted him to find someone to amuse herself with when she was with her lover, so she disagreed with her mother.
"I don't know, but I don't want to go to bed too late; maybe another day, when Nano has the day off."
"I don't have any day off," interrupted. "I work every day of the week, only for two months. But don't worry, I appreciate the detail, which is what is important. Nina must be tired ..."
"Yes, I am tired; well, goodbye Nano. We have to hurry because it is about to rain. A good storm is brewing!"
Nina urged her mother to get to the apartment as soon as possible, but it was not for fear of the rain, but fear that she would do her will look for someone to entertain her.
"Daughter, you are incorrigible! You do not have a heart? How can you treat this boy like this? You cannot be tired."
"Mom, don't insist on finding me someone to entertain me while you sleep with your lover. I prefer to be alone! What could we talk about ?: «Thank you for distracting me while my mother sleeps with his boss. No, she is a good mother, only that she is very liberal and does not find it strange to sleep with a married man during her holidays ».
The mother reacted aggressively.
"Nina, you are wearing out my patience! I think you're determined to ruin this vacation for me!"
"Give me the money for the trip, and I'm leaving right now with my grandparents!"
"When you come of age, you can do what you think is best, but until then, you will have to be by my side. I may not be an exemplary mother, but at least I have set out to give you the means to complete your education. Then you can fend for yourself and do what seems good to you. I only ask that we make our relationship bearable until that day comes. I am not asking much!"
The two women remained silent until they reached their apartment without being unloaded by the threatening storm. Strong inland winds dispelled the dark clouds. Nina's mother retired to her bedroom, and Nina preferred to lie on a hammock on the terrace and stare in fascination at the new, electrically charged clouds that replace those blown away by the strong wind.
Nina recalled her first encounter with Nano and the impression the sea green of her eyes made on her, and she recognized that her mother was right: she had been very rude to him. He felt the need to apologize as soon as possible. She jumped onto the beach from the terrace and headed to Nano's bar to apologize and advise him to accept her mother's invitation to dine together when he was free from work.
A sudden torrential rain interrupted her path, and he took refuge under the porch of a piano-bar located under the restaurant terrace. The place was a large room decorated with fishing gear. Half of the hull of a boat served as a bar, and on the walls hung numerous postcards, sent from their respective places of residence, by vacationers who had been there. The postcards hung pictures of smiling people and groups, photographed in the same bar, which they had left as a memory of their vacation in that place. There was a small stage in the back of the room, where every night a spontaneous singer or musician who summered in the town acted, the rest were chairs and tables for those attending those performances. The venue had no windows and was plunged in a gloom that gave relief to the stage, illuminated with one of the few electric light bulbs in the room.
When the roar of the pouring rain stopped, a guitar's sound was heard from inside the premises, playing improvisations of great harmony and musical beauty.
"I am dreaming, or someone is playing classical music on a guitar!"
Nina entered the bar where the music came from, and, to her amazement, the guitarist was Nano, who, sitting on a stool on the small stage, was playing a brief recital to the clients of the venue. Nano saw her enter and gave her a smile in greeting. Nina returned the greeting with another smile and a slight movement of greeting with the hand and remained motionless as if Nano's music had enchanted her until his performance ended.
Nano combined his work as a waiter and responsible for the hammocks, with brief performances with the guitar in that piano-bar, and at night, at the end of his work on the beach, he accompanied the spontaneous singers. When Nano finished her brief concert, Nina approached the stage with a poorly disguised expression of amazement.
"Nano, you play the guitar very well!"
"Not as well as my wish would be, but I study at the Conservatory to be a good guitarist ..."
"Do you study music?" Nano affirmed with a slight nod and accompanied him with a harmonious chord.
"I also study music, and I also play the guitar, although not as well as you, I want to be a great singer-songwriter!
"Nina and Nano! Wouldn't that be a good name for a duo? Maybe if you didn't go to bed early, you could come tonight to listen to the spontaneous singers. They are lousy, but fun. But if you dare, you could also sing a song; this auditorium is not very demanding. Afterward, we could have dinner together with the pizzas your mother had mentioned."
Nina felt trapped, but the favorable impression and surprise that the discovery of Nano's vocation had caused her won, and she accepted the invitation.
"Okay, Nano, here I will be!"
When Nina returned to the apartment and discussed her amazing discovery with her mother and what she had agreed with Nano, she could not hide her satisfaction at her daughter's mood change. Her encounter with Nano had been providential. She believed that Nina could have her first love affair, which would make her more understanding and tolerant.
"Who would have told us that the boy on the deckchairs was an excellent musician! Are you glad you came now?"
Nina had to admit that this unexpected discovery had made her forget for a few moments her purpose to maintain her negative opinion about her mother's behavior. Now she was thinking about Nano's proposal to sing a song in that amateur bar, and she felt inspired to compose the song herself that she could perform, and in the time she had until she returned to the bar.
"Yes, mom, but that doesn't mean I approve of your behavior.
"I've already resigned myself, but at least I hope we get along better. It's only for two weeks. Will you be able to do it?"
Nina did not want the tense relationships with her mother to nullify her inspiration, and she yielded to her wishes.
"Okay, mom, I'll try."
When they got to the apartment, Nina took out her guitar and went out onto the terrace. She pulled out a sheet of lined paper from a folder and wrote her impromptu song's first notes.
"Nina, aren't you going to take a nap?" Commented the mother, surprised by the new behavior of her daughter.
"No, mom, I want to compose a song to play tonight at Nano's bar."
"Sounds like a wonderful idea to me, Nina. I leave you alone, so you don't lose inspiration."
"Thanks, mom."
When she was alone, she thought she needed a letter to compose the melody later. She recalled the color of Nano's eyes and its resemblance to the color of the sea and wrote without knowing where some swollen verses came from on the back of the score:
When she wrote the last verse, she did not know where they had come from. But she didn't understand why one was so tragic. Because it had nothing to do with her mood at those inspired moments.
She later composed the melody and marveled at herself for making it so easy to compose that short but passionate song. He sang it several times to memorize the lyrics, and when her mother woke up from her nap, the song was already finished.
The mother had heard the last time Nina sang it and was amazed at her daughter's transformation. Judging by the lyrics, it was evident that she had fallen in love with Nano but did not want to violate her and did not comment on this possibility.
"It's a nice song, Nina, did you write it?"
"Sure, there is nobody else here, who could have composed it?"
"Well, my congratulations because it is a beautiful song. It will be very successful tonight at Nano's bar."
As the time for her performance approached, Nina felt more nervous and insecure. She had never sung before such a varied audience, and that was also the first time that.
She sang with one of her compositions.
"Mom, I'm going to take a walk alone on the beach, I want to get nervous tonight."
"Okay, I understand. I will take the opportunity to go shopping for dinner."
When she was on the beach, Nina headed toward the cliffs. A group of young people played a game of ball-bowling, on the edge of the beach, in an area reserved for sports. In bowling, the ball went to her feet. One of the young men came looking for it. When he was close to her, Nina recognized in amazement that he was a partner in her music academy.
"Nina, what a surprise! Do you also vacation here?"
"Yes, Marc, I spent two weeks with my mother. What an incredible coincidence! Have you come with your parents."
"What a remedy, I have no means to spend the summer on my own!"
"Why don't you come to the piano-bar below the restaurant tonight? I'm going to sing a song that I wrote today!"
"Take it for granted, I'll be there. And you, why don't you join our group? Here there are not many things to entertain, it is a place for old people, and we have to find a way to have fun. Tomorrow Carmen, a girl from our gang, throws a farewell party at her parents' chalet. Why don't you come too?"
"Thanks, Marc, we'll talk about it tonight at the bar."
"Ok, see you there!"
Nina continued her walk while the group of young people replayed the game. Upon reaching the limits of the beach, she sank on the sand.
The twilight sun edged the horizon on the interior slopes' side, and the shadows of the summer houses lengthened, leaving the beach in shadow. The vacationers left the hammocks with slow and lazy movements and went slowly to their respective residences. Some dogs abandoned by vacationers prowled around the restaurants or sat on their hindquarters and waited patiently for someone to throw some food at them.
Nina returned without haste, walking slowly because she did not want to meet her mother again. When she told her that she had met a classmate from her academy and that he was with his parents, it would be inevitable that they would find themselves in such a small place. Marc could introduce his parents to any of his friends, but Nina had to hide them from her mother because she was ashamed of her immoral behavior.
She was still halfway there when she met Nano, who looked excited and was looking for her.
"Finally, I found you!"
"Is something wrong, Nano?"
"Of course, something is wrong! Tonight we have an exceptional listener: the managing director of a major record label, who has just arrived at his summer house on the hillside and has confirmed that he will come to the bar tonight. I don't know what you want to sing, but whatever it is, we have to rehearse it!"
Nina felt like she was taking on a responsibility she wasn't ready for. She was just pretending to have fun doing what she liked best, and now it seemed as if her dreams of the future were at stake.
"I've composed a little song for tonight. Maybe you like it."
"Can I hear it?"
"Let's go to my apartment, and I'll sing it to you."
When they arrived at the apartment, they met the mother carrying two large bags from the local supermarket, with everything necessary for dinner and the following days.
"A robbery! Everything here is costly! If I come back another year, I will bring provisions for all the holidays! Nano, shouldn't you be at your job? Something happens?"
"I hope my boss doesn't miss me. He is a tyrant, but I had to meet Nina. But let's not waste time. Show me the score for that song."
Nina showed him the sheets of ruled paper where she had written the melody, and where the lyrics were also written in part corresponding to the melody. Nano hummed it as he read it, and his expression grew more enthusiastic as he progressed. When he finished it, he remained thoughtful for a few moments and, suddenly, he turned to Nina and exclaimed without concealing his amazement:
"Nina, it is magnificent! Sing it!"
Nina was flattered, but at the same time, she felt a certain blush from singing her song to the person who had inspired her, but she agreed.
When she finished, Nano asked her a question that for her had no answer.
"Nina, who were you thinking of when you wrote the lyrics for this song? Start happily, but talk about a tragedy! Why?"
"I don't know, it turned out like that."
"Well, let's leave that now. Take your guitar. I take this score with me to make arrangements for a second guitar. Your performance has to be perfect."
Nina and her mother arrived at Nano's bar when no customer had come yet. Nano was rehearsing the arrangements he had written for a second guitar. They both greeted each other with a slight gesture. Nina left her guitar on stage; she sat next to her mother in the chairs closest to the stage and concentrated on Nano's arrangements.
He had not finished playing them when Marc, his partner from the academy, and the group of teenagers who formed the gang, entered the piano-bar. Everyone warmly greeted Nina, wishing her success in her performance. Moments later, Marc's parents entered, accompanied by the parents of other teenagers. Marc's mother knew Nina's, having repeatedly met at the academy's gates, waiting for her children.
"What a curious coincidence!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Truly, the world is a scarf! Do you also vacation here?"
"Unfortunately, no. We've only been here for two weeks," she replied, making an effort to be polite."
"Too bad they can't stay long because it's a wonderful place! We come every year because we have a little house on the hillside. But my husband only spends a month with us because he has to attend to his business. And yours, is he with you, or is he also a slave to work?"
Nina's mother felt uncomfortable and violent because she did not expect to meet someone she knew in this small town, located in a remote part of the country. That's why she had chosen her! She tried to find an evasive answer, so as not to discover her divorce.
"All are equal!"
"Her daughter Nina is charming and a great artist. Marc always talks about her as one of the promises of the music academy. We wouldn't miss her performance for anything in the world!"
Nina was surrounded by Marc's friends, but she had watched her mother converse with hers and was uneasy about what they might be talking about.
Little by little, the place was filled with the public. Nano had written in large characters on a blackboard hanging at the entrance to the premises the extraordinary performance of the new duo, "Nina and Nano," which had raised more expectations than usual.
Marc's parents sat at the same table as Nina's mother, next to the stage, and continued recounting the wonders of the town where they had their summer residence.
"You can still find a place to sunbathe on the beach here. There are summer resorts in this country where it is already necessary to reserve a space on the beach one year in advance."
Nina's mother smiled at the occurrence but was not in the mood to follow the conversation, so she remained silent.
Nano was awaiting the director of the record label's entrance because he probably would not stay long in the premises. He had reserved one of the tables by the stage for him. He checked that the PA was the correct volume, and when he thought everything was in order, he joined Marc's group of friends.
The bar was already crowded, and some remained at the door due to the impossibility of entering the interior.
While they waited for the visit of the executive of the record one, Nano entertained the gathered with improvisations of classical music, which was to the liking of that audience. Finally, half an hour later, the exceptional guest arrived accompanied by a young woman, who must have been her daughter. Nano seated them at the table reserved for them and advised Nina, who was still with the teenagers, to prepare for her performance.
"Goodnight, everyone!" Nano greeted, introducing Nina with the professionalism of a ringmaster. "Tonight we are going to present a new duo that has been formed in this same place, between a singer and songwriter, Nina and me; Nina has composed a romantic song for her presentation this afternoon, which I am sure you will like. Applause to her."
Nina climbed onto the small stage and was applauded with trepidation and nervousness, and from the expression on her face, it was clear she was overwhelmed. Nano gave her an affectionate look, which was intended to encourage her, and started the initial chords he had written to accompany her. At the right moment, Nina sang her song.
"I have dreamed that your arms embraced me, as a storm embraces a boat.
That your lips kissed me, as the full moon kisses the sea.
That your smile captivated me, as the northern lights captivate.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
your caresses like the waves that come and go.
I dreamed that you sank into the sea and made me cry.
That you had vanished, as the seawater evaporates.
That we were two strangers, like the mountains and the sea.
That I only had this song, where before I had a heart.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
your caresses like the waves that come and go.»
I dreamed that the sea returned you, and you made me remember.
That we loved each other yesterday, as the sea loves the rain.
That we meet today, so as not to separate ourselves again.
That I had a heart again, where before I only had a song.
Your eyes are the color of the sea,
Your caresses like the waves that come and go."
When the song ended, there was a dramatic silence among the audience, overwhelmed by their song's tragic beauty. When they reacted, they burst into loud, warm applause. Nina was overwhelmed by that show of admiration for her song. Nano, who had made some brilliant arrangements, took Nina by the hand, and they both appreciated the endless applause with displays of humility.
"Thank you; you are a magnificent audience,"
Nano said to the audience, visibly excited. "But Nina deserves your applause! It is a beautiful song!"
The record label executive seemed to be taking notes on her cell phone's agenda. Nina's mother was overwhelmed by her daughter's undoubted success. Only Nano didn't seem surprised, because he was certainly convinced of that success.
The record label executive put away his cell phone and motioned for Nano to come over.
"At the end of this week, come to my house on the hillside, and we will talk about your future," he said without showing the least emotion. "We need someone to get teenagers excited… " and he left the premises, followed by his young companion.
Nina was incapable of assuming the extraordinary reception of her song. She seemed to be absent, already living in another dimension: that of fame! Marc's teenage friends surrounded her and overwhelmed her with praise. Nano believed that he must rescue her from her first and enthusiastic admirers, and reminded the mother of the plan to the diner the pizzas on the terrace and rid Nina of that overwhelming atmosphere of triumph, for which she was not prepared.
"I feel responsible for Nina's confusion. Unexpected success can be destructive, " he said to the mother. "I am not looking for success, I just aspire to be a good musician, not a good idol, and I think Nina should adopt this same philosophy, or success will destroy her."
The mother fully agreed with Nano.
"Let's hope she still remembers!" she answered. "I think from now on, Nina will be another different girl."
They called Nina to remind her that they had planned to have dinner right after her performance, but Nina didn't seem enthusiastic about the idea and preferred to go anywhere but with the group of her new friends and admirers.
"Mom, I don't feel like locking myself in our apartment now. I think I will go with these friends to celebrate!"
"To celebrate what, Nina?" Nano asked her.
"Are you asking me that? My success!"
"I thought it was our success!"
"Well, yes, our success, what difference does it make! Why don't you come with us too?"
"Have you forgotten that I'm the boy on the deckchairs? When we met, it was six-thirty in the morning, the time my work began. I have to get up early; I can't accompany you!"
"Understand me, I'm on vacation!"
"Yes, I had almost forgotten. So have fun, Nina. You deserve it!"
The mother thought that finally, Nina was behaving most favorably for her plans. The town was quiet and at no risk. She could return whenever she wanted, and the later she returned, the more time she could spend with her lover. She felt sorry for Nano, but her daughter had shown a very fickle character. Perhaps it would be better if that friendship did not prosper.
Nina and the gang of new friends left the bar and headed for the beach area that bordered the cliffs, in the same place where she had met them, which was deserted at that time of night. The beach remained in darkness, and they could only see each other by the illumination of a pale and misty moon, surrounded by a diffuse ring of water vapor. Someone had brought several bottles of soda, and others of gin and drinks were prepared for everyone. They turned on portable musical equipment creating a festive atmosphere in which the adolescents felt identified.
When everyone had their drinks, Marc proposed a toast:
"Toast. Let's, Nina, because tonight another star has been born in the sky."
"By Nina, our star!" the teenagers chanted.
Half an hour later, they were all under the influence of alcohol, and one suggested taking a bath because the night was hot and muggy because of the past storm. There was total unanimity. They undressed and threw themselves into the water doing all kinds of funny tricks.
Nina imitated them and held Marc's hand; they jumped into the water, participating in the other teenagers' games. When they got tired, they went back to the beach and lay exhausted on the sand. Marc stretched out next to Nina. A cool, damp breeze dried their naked bodies. Marc took the unsuspecting Nina's hand, leaned over it, and kissed her on the lips. Nina, still under the influence of alcohol, did not react and felt Marc's kiss run through her entire body with a shiver of pleasure. Marc caressed her breasts and again felt an intense pleasure that left him unable to react and avoid his caresses. Moments later, they were having sex without Nina having the willpower to refuse. Then they fell asleep, just like the rest of the teenagers.
The cool morning light woke her up, and Nina felt an intense headache. When she tried to straighten up, she realized that Marc was surrounding her with one of his arms and understood what had happened. A sudden feeling of guilt tightened in her chest. She got rid of Marc's hug and looked for her clothes that had been scattered on the beach. She dressed hastily and without saying goodbye to the teenagers, started back to her apartment, unable to contain bitter tears over what had happened. Now she could no longer censure her mother as immoral because she had behaved the same way.
"At least she gets some profit, while I've been a fool, I've done it for nothing, and I'm not even in love with Marc," she thought bitterly. She wiped away her tears and tried to calm herself before she could meet her mother.
That dawn reminded her of the first one she had seen only twenty"four hours ago, and it seemed as if a year had passed. At least she felt much older and depressed. When she was about to enter the apartment, Nano surprised her who, like every morning, assembled and deployed the hammocks on the beach. Nina tried to avoid him, but Nano had already seen her and went towards her.
"Good night. How has the celebration been? It must have been a lot of fun when you arrive at this time of the morning!"
That unexpected encounter with Nano made her feel even more guilty, but she was in no mood to continue the conversation, and she replied angrily:
"Leave me alone! I'm exhausted, and I don't feel like joking!"
"Okay, miss, bad temper! You better sleep, because you look horrible. Have you been all night doing races?"
Nina thought Nano had guessed from her appearance that she had made love with one teenager, but he could not know, and she did not care if he imagined it. "I do not have to give an account of my actions, and less to someone who has only known him for twenty-four hours!" She didn't want to accept that she had betrayed him, which would make her feel even more guilty.
She entered her apartment without saying goodbye to Nano. Once inside, she went to her room with great stealth, to avoid waking her mother, but she saw the light in her bedroom, and he supposed that she was already awake waiting for her. The door opened abruptly, and the mother appeared with a worried expression on her face and deep dark circles as if she had spent the night in white.
"Nina, where have you been all night? I would look for you! You have had me anxious!"
Nina must reflect her guilt in her expression because her mother was alarmed.
"Child, it does not seem that you come from a party, but from a funeral. What's wrong?"
"Nothing happens to me, and if you don't mind, I will sleep, I'm exhausted, that's all!"
Her mother did not insist, and Nina locked herself in her bedroom. When she found herself alone in the room in the dark, the image of what had happened during the night returned to her mind. She had despised Nano, whom only a few hours ago she believed to be in love with, and who had been inspired by his song and had made love with Marc, a classmate without talent and with no attraction, for whom he barely felt a superficial friendship. What had made her behave in such a disloyal and thoughtless way? Had she inherited her immorality from her mother, which she had so censored? It had all been like a dream followed by a nightmare, and it had happened so fast and in such a scant space of time, that until that bitter moment, she had not been fully aware of what had happened.
First Nano's invitation, then the quick and inspired composition of her song, than the clamorous success at the piano-bar, later the beach party, and finally, something was certain to her had happened, but that she didn't. Could you remember? It had all happened too quickly; too intense; She thought it couldn't have happened. Finally, she came to an unfortunate conclusion: "None of this would have happened to me if I had never written that damn song. No doubt. The culprit is Nano! "
Now that she had found a culprit, she thought she felt excused, and now she could sleep soundly. She had barely closed her eyes when she heard two light knocks on her door.
"Nina, can I come in?"
"Sure, but what do you want? I'm sleepy, I don't feel like talking. Whatever you tell me when I wake up."
"Nina, this afternoon, my boss will arrive. I'm not asking you to become friends, but at least try to treat him with respect, he is the one who pays my payroll every month, so we can both live with dignity."
"Okay, mom, I will try, but please let me sleep!"
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario